Different Indeed
by Inkblooded Witch
Summary: Dean pops in to see his husband and decides one of Castiel's students need an ego check. Short, fluffy one-shot. Rated for language. Another one of those Pinterest-inspired stories. Ha-ha-ha (help me).


**I have no personal experience with those who have autism, if I portrayed it incorrectly I apologize. This story was meant to be written and received in good fun.**

 **If you want to see the original story, go to Pinterest and search "Gettin' Schooled 101". I'd gladly provide the link, but Fanfic takes issue with such things :P**

 **Enjoy!**

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Dean glanced at his watch as he slipped through the doors of the university's primary science building. There were still about ten minutes before class was due to start, he had time. It didn't take him long to track down the classroom his husband was currently using, bringing up slides on the lecture hall's computer as students trickled in.

Personally, Dean had always counted it as a perk, them both being professors at the same university. Better still, as an engineering professor he was only one building over from Castiel, who dealt in physics. He poked his head in through the door, grinning when Castiel looked up in surprise. Since the door was close to the lecture hall's front, he didn't have to come that far inside to be heard. As annoying as it was having a class scheduled during a socially acceptable lunch time, he did like when neither of them packed anything which could warrant more quality time. Even if it was just them eating on opposite sides of a table and grumbling over the work they graded.

"Hey, I'm heading over to the cafe. Want anything?"

Castiel's face softened a little, giving a silent nod before going back to his notes. It was answer enough, and no more than Dean had expected. While he was good at his job, Castiel was mildly autistic and had horrible social skills until he knew someone very well. Or in the case of his work, was talking about something he knew very well. He was an excellent teacher, but gods forbid you ask him how his weekend was.

Dean was turning to leave, he'd get his husband his usual and Castiel would join him later, when a voice stopped him.

"I didn't know Dr. Novak had an assistant."

Turning to regard the speaker, a student dumping a backpack in a nearby chair, Dean frowned slightly. There wasn't much overlap in their students, recognition when they went into each other's departments was generally limited to faculty, but Dean wasn't used to snide commentary. As far as he was concerned, nor should he be. The simple comment made by a young male might have been excusable, if not for the tone he'd used. Castiel preferred to keep his head down and could ignore just about anything, but Dean was not so tolerant.

"He doesn't. I'm his husband."

That earned a pair of incredulously raised eyebrows from the rude student, along with the interest of everyone in ear shot. Though at least they had the decency not to look so blatantly surprised. Social difficulties aside, Castiel's students generally liked him. He wasn't an easy professor, but he genuinely cared about his students and wanted them to succeed. More than once he'd come home quite late because he'd stayed in his office helping a student who was struggling with one subject or another.

"Seriously? What's a guy like you doing with a guy like him?"

Dean's eyes narrowed at that. A lot of the general pre-class chatter was starting to die down. "A guy like him?" Dean repeated, daring him to confirm it.

Oblivious, the idiotic youth explained, "You know, he's...different."

For a moment Dean honestly thought about punching him. Or perhaps smashing that smug expression into the science table the student was leaning against. But no doubt he'd go crying to some administrator or another and Dean would end up fired. All similarly satisfying options would no doubt end with identical results. Worse, he'd upset Castiel. His husband disliked conflict as much as he did attention.

Even so, Dean couldn't let something like this slide. He just couldn't. Particularly now that they had the attention of a class that, at a rough guess, he assumed to be about forty strong.

So instead of yelling or throat-punching the student, Dean smirked right back at him. "You're right, I see a real big difference."

"Exactly-

"He's getting laid tonight. You're not."

That said, Dean marched over to the podium and attached computer, where his husband's cobalt eyes were already wide, pink dusting his cheeks. Obviously he'd heard everything, which would make this end result all the more satisfying. Whatever the fallout from Castiel himself, Dean could live with.

Before his husband could protest, Dean grabbed his ass with one hand and the back of his neck with the other, slanting his mouth over Castiel's in a full on kiss. When he pulled away, releasing his hold on Castiel, the slightly shorter man's face had gone from pink to scarlet as he strode towards the door. There were cheers from almost every student in the room, along with more than one wolf whistle. Meanwhile the student whose name Dean still didn't know stood there, floored.

He was fully aware he was being a bad husband, embarrassing Castiel that much. No doubt he'd hear about it later and he'd be doing no small amount of groveling, but it was still _so_ worth it.

Accordingly, when Castiel stomped into his office roughly two hours later and slammed the door shut, Dean mutely push a bag of food and an insulated cup towards him. He had eaten before, and was currently punching grades from an assignment into the computer, but he had made sure to procure something a little more special than what could be found at the college's somewhat overpriced cafe. Namely a hamburger with black pepper fries from a joint down the street, along with a blue raspberry slushy. All of which were Castiel's favorite.

His husband dropped into a chair on the opposite side of his desk, glaring over the food. "Why did you do that?" he demanded, apparently still angry.

"It needed to be done. The kid was being a dick."

Dean, a little worried, relaxed when Castiel starting sucking on the slushy.

"He's been a dick all semester. And the semester before," Castiel grumbled, unwrapping the food. It had been stashed in an insulated cooler to retain heat until now, so it was still warm to some degree. "He spends a majority of his time before class gloating about assorted conquests and has little regard for others." Popping a few fries into his mouth Castiel mused, "I suppose he hasn't been overly fond of me in general since I gave him a C in the class last semester."

Dean's eyebrows shot up. "That's the guy?" Castiel didn't like giving out low grades, but he would if they were warranted. This particular student, if Dean recalled correctly, had come to Castiel's office hours bitching about his grades and demanding extra credit a few days before the final. Dean had seen his work. The C had been generous.

"So he's a douchey dick," Dean commented as Castiel dug into his burger.

"Yes."

"So...you still mad, Cas?"

Castiel considered this as he chewed. Eventually he decided, "No. I don't enjoy being the subject of public displays of affection, particularly the physical variety. But it was very satisfying this time. Also you brought be all this." He gestured to the meal before him with a fry before popping it into his mouth.

"So we're good?"

Lips twitching in amusement Castiel confirmed, "I would still be very willing to engage in intercourse tonight. Though if you could refrain from repeating such displays in the future I would appreciate it."

"Done."

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